African Female Heritage in Iberia

[Alkman]

Pereira, Luisa "African Female Heritage in Iberia: A Reassessment of mtDNA Lineage Distribution in Present Times"
Human Biology - Volume 77, Number 2, April 2005, pp. 213-229
Wayne State University Press




Abstract
The Iberian peninsula is a peripheral region of Europe in close proximity to Africa. Its inhabitants have an overall mtDNA genetic landscape typical of European background, although with signs of some African influence, whose features we deemed to disclose by analyzing available mtDNA HVRI distributions and new data. We analyzed 1,045 sequences. The most relevant results are the following: (1) North African sequences (haplogroup U6) present an overall frequency of 2.39%, and sub-Saharan sequences reach 3.83%, values that are, in both cases, much higher than those generally observed in Europe; and (2) there is a substantial geographic heterogeneity in the distribution of these lineages (haplogroup L being the most frequent in the south, whereas haplogroup U6 is generally more common in the north). The analysis of the observed diversity within each haplogroup strongly suggests that both were recently introduced (in historical times). Although for haplogroup U6 the documented event that is demographically compatible is the Islamic period (beginning of the 8th century to the end of the 15th century), for haplogroup L the most probable origin is the modern slave trade (mid 15th century to the end of the 18th century). However, the observed geographic structuring for one of the haplogroups does not fit the expected distribution provided by simplistic historical considerations. In fact, although for haplogroup L the north-south increasing frequency is corroborated by historical data, the opposite trend, observed for haplogroup U6, is more difficult to reconcile with the magnitude and time span of the Islamic political and cultural influence, which lasted longer and was more intense in the south. To clarify this conundrum, we need not only a substantial increase in the amount of mtDNA data (particularly for North Africa) but also new historical data and interpretations.





http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.c...ssion=80555952

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Alkman

there is a substantial geographic heterogeneity in the distribution of these lineages (haplogroup L being the most frequent in the south, whereas haplogroup U6 is generally more common in the north).

This is hardly news, and it is not found spread in Iberia but restricted to Southern Portugal, and maybe SW Andalusia.

"Specific sub-Saharan lineages appeared mainly restricted to southern Portugal, and could be attributed to historic Black slave trade in the area and to a probable Saharan Neolithic influence."

[Source: Mitochondrial DNA affinities at the Atlantic fringe of Europe; Am J Phys Anthropol. 2003 Apr;120(4):391-404.]

[Gil]

I think there is too much emphasis put into 16-17 century slave trade. First of all, the massive amount of negroids who live in Portugal nowadays are descendants of those who fleed from the colonies during or after the colonial war, not in the 16th or 17th century. Also, I challenge anyone to visit southern and northern Portugal and state that it's population is heterogeneous. The african descendants live mostly on the suburbs or the large cities, while the rural areas remain, as always, mainly of mediterranid/atlantid stock. Anyway, nothing that a conclusive gene test wouldn't point out.
The problem is that the test subjects most of the times have portuguese nationality, not portuguese origin, they could be pakistani or bushmen for all I know!

[Menydh]

Right. Lisbon. Observe the types to my right and to my left. Only an idiot would think that they are Portuguese.



On the other hand... HLA genes in Macedonians and the sub-Saharan origin of the Greeks

[Ebusitanus]

I agree with this disagreement about the origin of those subsaharian markers. That always taunted XV Century Portuguese slave trade can not possibly have marked the population in such a manner when most of said trade was focused in sugar cane explotations in Cape Verde islands and not the own metropoli. I also vote for a more ancient origin.